The Southern District Health Board is encouraging people to ensure they are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations to reduce the risk of a measles outbreak.
People are being urged to ensure that they are up-to-date with their MMR vaccinations. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
In 2019, there were more than 2000 cases of measles nationwide with about 72 cases in the Southern region.
Southern DHB measles campaign coordinator Deborah Hay-Corkin said low immunisation rates and the reopening of international borders increased the chances of a measles outbreak.
"As countries around the world respond to Covid-19, many MMR immunisation programmes have been paused," she said.
"Now that New Zealand's borders are opening up, international travel puts us at increased risk of a measles outbreak."
Measles was a serious and highly contagious disease that would put additional pressure on a health system already grappling with the effects of the pandemic, the DHB said.
"Two doses of the MMR vaccine will protect 99 percent of people against measles," she said.
"We can stop outbreaks of measles if enough people have their MMR vaccination."
People could check their records or ask their doctor to find out if they have had their two doses.
The DHB recommended that if people did not know for sure, it was best to play it safe and get the vaccine.
"There are no additional safety concerns with having additional MMR doses, and you can also safely have your MMR vaccine at the same time as your Covid-19 vaccine," Kay-Corkin said.
MMR vaccines were available at many southern pharmacies on a walk-in basis and through GPs, and there were plans for mass vaccination clinics across the region in the coming weeks.
So far, there has been little uptake of this service.
People could call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or go online to ProtectAgainstMeasles.org.nz for more information about the MMR vaccine.